For 27 years, Boston's WBUR was home to "Only A Game" - the hour-long sports program that aired on more than 250 public radio stations each week. And right up until it ended its run in 2020, Karen Given had a hand in nearly every show as a reporter, editor or host.

Storytelling in sound is still Karen's only game as a freelance editor and writing coach. She'll talk about her love of storytelling - and how she won awards for sports reporting when she's not really a sports fan!

It's our second season of stories from the people who make public radio magic! You'll hear from more of the talented reporters, editors, producers and hosts who create the sounds that keep you tuning in every day.

Season 2 of "Roman on the Radio" debuts Friday, December 12.

Listen and subscribe wherever you get your favorite podcasts!

For decades, Susanne Whatley has been one of Southern California's most popular news voices on the air. She traveled across the radio dial before settling in as the local host of "Morning Edition" on LAist 89.3 in Los Angeles.

After six years of waking up before dawn, Susanne stepped away from the microphone last summer. Now rested and revived, she'll look back at her years in commercial and public radio - and her on-air visit with a black bear!

It takes 17 producers at Boston's WBUR to prep its national news program "Here & Now" for air on 450 NPR stations.

Senior producer Ashley Locke takes us inside to show how the staff tackles breaking news on a tight broadcast deadline. Ashley also looks at the challenges she faces as a working mom trying to balance her work and her home life.

A latecomer to public broadcasting, Elaine Cha preferred to work behind the scenes. But with some encouragement, she decided she was ready to take the microphone as host of STL Public Radio's daily "St. Louis on the Air" interview show.

Elaine explains why she brought out her on-air voice. She'll also look at how STL Public Radio has covered the tornado that blasted St. Louis in May - and the total solar eclipse that captivated the city last year.

This week, KQED senior editor Rachael Myrow reveals how she creates gripping "driveway moments" on public radio.

Public media consultants Michelle Faust-Raghavan and Alisa Barba show where public radio is falling short.

And KRVS GM Cheryl Devall has an update on how her Cajun and blues public radio station in Louisiana is shoring up its budget now that Congress has erased public broadcasting dollars.

In her 8th grade science class, Andrea Kissack was too squeamish to dissect a frog. In time, she overcame the "yecch!" to become a science reporter - and the editor in charge of NPR's Science Desk.

Andrea looks back at her time as NPR's chief science editor - and explains how the network "reinvented" science reporting to cover the COVID-19 pandemic.

KTOO managing editor Claire Stremple is shepherding her team of four reporters in Juneau through public radio's biggest crisis in 50 years: the move by Congress to erase $1.2 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Claire talks about covering news in Alaska, why public radio is so important to her state - and how she held her reporters together after the vote to end federal support for public broadcasting.